1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tea made solely, i.e. exclusively, from Eucalyptus (Eucaly) stem, leaf and/or bark portions, especially leaves, and which richly contains aroma and nutrients.
The present invention further relates to a process for producing Eucalyptus tea made solely from stem and/or leaf and/or bark portions, especially leaves, of the Eucalyptus:
ROBSTA EUCALYPTUS (EUCALYPTUS ROBSTA SMITH) and PA1 LEMON EUCALYPTUS (EUCALYPTUS CITRIODORA HOOK).
2. Description of the Prior Art
As tea made from leaves other than green tea leaves, there are well known, for example, Wulung tea, Gymnema tea, Silvervine tea, Ashitaba tea, Olive tea, and Saururaceous tea.
Although such teas contain plenty of vitamins, they contain less in the way of tannic components known as mixtures of catechins, which have been reported to have various effects such as a beneficial effect on intestinal disorder, a controlling effect on absorption of glucides from the intestine, a controlling effect in the production of glucides having an excretion accelerative action on cholesterol and lipids giving lesions to living tissues and organs (i.e., an antioxidizing action), an antimutagenicity, an anticancer action, a controlling action on hypercholesterol, an antihypertensive action and an antibacterial action.
It is believed that the raw leaves of the Eucalyptus (Eucaly), which is an evergreen tree and which is grown in Australia and other countries, are currently only used as a feed for koala bears.
However, the essential oil produced from the Eucalyptus has been put to practical use for candies or cough drops for curing sore throats. In addition to such use, the essential oil produced from the Eucalyptus has conventionally exerted effects for achieving certain medical purposes, such as antidotal effects, sedation, fatigue-recovery, promotion of appetite and digestion, prevention of intestinal disorders, deworming, and the like. It has also been discovered recently that it is effective in curing diabetes. Furthermore, the essential oil produced from the Eucalyptus is known to remove phlegm so as to soothe the symptoms of bronchitis and asthma.
Moreover, it has been reported that the Eucalyptus contains various components which serve the function of medicines. For example, in case of bleeding due to external injuries, Eucalyptus leaves can serve as a hemostatic such that they are applied to the wound so as to stop bleeding, and they can also be effectively used for first aid treatment for burns. Thus, the Eucalyptus is also used for external application.
Although Eucalyptus is conventionally only used as a raw feed for koala bears, it may also be applied in ran or unprocessed form to healthy refreshing drinks and be widely used for health foods since it exerts pronounced medical effects. However, raw or unprocessed Eucalyptus has a characteristic strong raw smell and thus is not suitable for table luxury foods, i.e. for fine foods.
In particular, "The Herb Book" by John B. Lust (Lust), 1st ed 1974, Benedict Lust Publications, p. 180, indicates that Eucalyptus globulus, common name: Blue gum, is useful as an antiseptic, deodorant, expectorant and stimulant. Most Eucalyptus medications are made from the greenish-yellow oil obtained from the mature leaves. The oil, or lozenges and cough drops made from it, is useful for lung diseases, colds and sore throats. The oil is also useful as a vapor bath for asthma and other respiratory ailments, as an antiseptic bath additive, and for pyorrhea and for burns, to prevent infection, and its expectorant properties are useful for bronchitis.
Lust indicates that a cold extract made from the leaves is usable for indigestion and for intermittent fever, while the antiseptic and deodorant qualities of the oil make it suitable for use on pulverulent wounds and ulcers. The oil is prepared by boiling the mature leaves in water and condensing the vapor to recover the oil.
Dialog Data Base, File 51 (FSTA), Dialog Acc. No. 00329576, is an abstract of USSR Patent 1,202,540A, 1986 (Dragvelidze, N. I. et al), concerning a method of producing a tea substitute, involving comminuting bilberry leaves, curling, fermentation and drying. To improve the organoleptic characteristics and therapeutic properties of the tea substitute, the leaves are preliminarily withered to 60-62% moisture content before processing. Comminuted leaves of Cornelian charry and Eucalyptus are added to the bilberry leaves in defined proportions at the curling stage with subsequent double curling and grading, thereby forming a mixed product.
Dialog Data Base, File 351 (WPI), Dialog Acc. No. 009472497, is an abstract of SU 17382.12, Jun. 7, 1992 (Dzhikiya, M. D. et al), concerning a green tea production in which the original tea is roasted, minced, thermally aged and other materials, e.g. laurel or Eucalyptus, are added in two stages, with streaming. The tea is roasted, minced, thermally aged with fermentation, vegetable additives are introduced, and the resulting mixture dried, steamed, and pressed, with fine drying, the vegetable additives actually being included in two stages: (a) after roasting with a ratio of additives to mass of 10-20:100, and (b) after steaming with a ratio of additives to mass of 5-10:100. After drying, the constituents are mixed together, thereby forming a mixed product.
Dialog Data Base, File 351 (WPI), Dialog Acc. No. 004700443, is an abstract of SU 1,202,540, Jan. 7, 1986 (Dragvelidze, N. I. et al), concerning a caffeine-free tea substitute obtained from leaves of bilberry, dogwood and Eucalyptus, and made from shredded bilberry leaves, which are rolled, fermented and dried. The organoleptic and medical properties of the tea are improved as follows: the bilberry leaves are dry cured to a residual moisture content of 60-62% and at the rolling stage shredded leaves from dogwood and Eucalyptus are added in the ratio of 80-90:18-8:1-2, and the blend is subjected to 2-stage rolling and screening.
Typically, per this teaching, 80 kg bilberry leaves are dehumidified at 40.degree. C. to 62% moisture content, then shredded, and 18 kg dogwood and 1 kg Eucalyptus leaves, each shredded separately, are added to the bilberry leaves. The final blend is rolled for 40 minutes, screened after each rolling, fermented at 26.degree. C. and 95-98% humidity, dried at 100.degree. C. to 5% moisture content, and classified into grades, thereby forming a mixed product.